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New York Agriculture in the Classroom

Programs

Agricultural Literacy Week 2015

Weaving the Rainbow
Weaving the Rainbow
by George Ella Lyon and Illustrated by Stephanie Anderson

The signature book for 2015 is Weaving the Rainbow by George Ella Lyon and illustrated by Stephanie Anderson. In this beautiful story a young girl leads the reader through the process of raising and caring for animals, with the end result of using their well-cared for fleece as the medium for her weaved artwork. Students will see the steps of shearing, carding, spinning, dying before she can to make a beautiful tapestry.

Fiber production, whether from sheep, goats, alpacas, or rabbits, is an important agricultural industry in New York State. The farmers who produce these animals must maintain proper nutrition and management of their flocks to ensure the best quality fleeces and end-result products. Fiber animals are often used as multi-purpose animals and also raised for their meat and milk. Agriculture is not always what we eat, but also what we wear. All lesson, activities, learning extensions, and companion resources are aligned to New York State and Common Core Learning Standards.

2015 Teacher Resource Guide